"Where are we…?" Xuefeng murmured, blinking against the warm glow that filtered through a canopy of golden leaves overhead. The air was rich with the scent of fresh moss and blooming flora—sweet, earthy, and wholly unfamiliar. He sat up slowly, heart pounding with confusion, and looked around.
They were no longer on top of the altar.
Though the Wisdom Tree still loomed behind them, the surroundings had changed completely. The carved stone walls and cold air of the cavern were replaced by a lush, emerald world, vibrant and alive, encircled by a forest too perfect to be natural. Every leaf shimmered with energy and the ground itself pulsed gently beneath his feet, like the heartbeat of a living creature.
Yiren stirred awake by his side, her golden hair spread like sunlight over her shoulders. The faint pink blush on her cheeks had faded, together with the numbing effect from the Queen's pill. Her breathing was calm, eyes alert and focused.
